Account-finding machine



July 3l, 1928.

E. L. RELLER ET AL ACCOUNT FINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. s.'

2 Sheets-Sheet l July 31, 1928. 1,679,008

E. 1 RELLER ET AL ACCOUNT FINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 8 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3l, 1928.

UNITED STATES EDWIN L RELIER AND VICTOR R. A. STBOH,

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO REMINGTON PORATION F DELAWARE.

OF ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, ABBIGNOBB, :BYy RAND INC., 0F NEW YORK, I; Y., .A COB- ACCOUNT-FINDIN G MACHINE.

Application led November 8, 1920. Serial No. 428,659.

This invention relates to machines for finding accounts.

In the account finding machines described in applications Serial Number 229,996, led

6 April 22, 1918, and Serial Number 352,601,

tiled January 19, 1920, now Patent No. l1,615.806, Jan. 25, 1927 (see also British Patent Number 153,844, November 2, 1920), the account cards are arranged in a tray (or 10 :i sci-ies of trays) and a desired account is found by primarily locating a group of cards. sccondarily locating a division or a unit of cards. and tertiarily locating a card,

and the finally located card is then isolated. This is accomplished by providing selecting mechanism which is set by selective manipulative means comprising a series of keys so as to efi'ect such selection.

ln order to audit the accountsq audit. mech- 0 anism is employed as distinguished from the normal selecting mechanism which is arranged to locate and isolate a series of cards, one in each unit, so as not only to check up the system, but also lind lost or misplaced accounts.

In the machine of the application referred to, a series of selectors is employed for the purpose of finding individual cards. A pair of such selectors aieclutched to the actuating rock shaft by clutches so as to primarily locate the group; the selectors are then shifted along the tray to locate the division or unit: the selectors are then moved transversely of the tray to locate the desired card upon final location, the actuators operate to isolate or elevate only the selectors which have been previously connected therewith. In the auditing of accounts, all of the selectors are connected with the actuator While additional audit selectors are interconnected with the normal selectors so as to permit a desired card in each unit to be isolated or elevated.

The clutches or controlling elements between the actuator and the respective selec'- tors are normally under tension so that when a desired controlling mechanism is released. a desired pair of selectors will be clutched with the actuator. During auditing, all of the controlling elements are released to connect all-ot' the selectors with the actuator. lVhcn the machine islcleared, the controlling elements are restored and again tcnsioned and latched in tensioned positions. Where motor mechanism is employed to restore the mechanism, undue strain will be placed on this motor mechanism when the machine is cleared and when all of the controlling elements, which have been released during the auditing operation, are restored.A

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide an account-finding machine whereby upon clearing of the machine, the minimum strain will be thrown on the restoring mechanism or motor, so as to permit utilization of a minimum size motor.

Another object is to rovide an accountfinding machine in w ich the restoring mechanism is constructed and arranged to restore the selector mechanisms in succession.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accoiiip:inying1r drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatical view of an account finding machine showing the mechanism embodyingr this invention;

Fiigure 2 is a detail end elevation of Figure Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail of the stop shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a tray divided by partitions 2 so'as to p'rovide a series of compartments, this tray being mounted upon the body or frame work 3 of the machine. This frame has mounted thereon a carrier comprising a pair of side bars 4, which, in tum, are mounted upon the side bars 5 of a carriage. The side bars 5 of the carriage are mounted for transverse movement on tracks 6 on the frame and they are arran ed to carry with i e carrier which, for longitudinal them the side bars 4 of t latter in turn are arranged movement along the carriage. Each carrier side bar carries a series of ten normal selectors 7 which are arranged for vertical movement and has yalso mounted thereon audit selectors 8 also mounted for vertical movement. The carrier hasmounted thereon a pair of actuating rock shafts 9, each of which has a series of ten clutches 10, each arranged to be clutched with its selector. Springs are provided which tend to normally move the carrier to the right, Figure 1, tend to normally move the carriage side bars outwardly and normally tend to rock Yus the shafts 9 so as to raise the selectors; in order, however, to retain 'the carriage, latches 11 are provided while the carrier is retained by Vlatches 12. These latches are controlled by keys 13 and stops are provided forarresting the carriage an the carrier in the proper positions.

In order to clutch a desired pair of normal selectors 7 with the actuator 9, through the controlling elements 10, arranged to connect the selectors with the actuator, a series of springs 14 are provided which are anchored to the frame and connect each with a bell-crank lever 15 connected in turn with a belLcrank'lEver 16 connected with'tlie controlling elements. These springs, when i under tension, tend to move the clutch or i controllin elements to the left, Fi ure 1,

so as to c utch with the respective se ectors. In order to retain the clutches out of clutching enga ment, each bell-crank lever is connecte by a link 17 with a bell-crank llever 18 connected by a link 19 with a bellcrank 20; this bell-crank lever 20 (of which there are a series of ten) is retained by a latch 21 controlled by its pro er key 13. Accordingly upon depression o the proper key, the corresponding latch 21 will be released thereby permittingA the spring 14 to throw into engagement t e controlling corresponding clutch elements 10 for the corresponding air of selectors.

When it 1s desired to audit the accounts, the audit selectors 8 are clutched with the normal selectors b a pairof bars 22 which are shifted through a ever 23, a link 24, an arm 25, and a cross-bar 26 connected therewith, upon depression of the audit key 27. Upon the depression of this audit ke ,.it will through the same bar 26'release al of the latches 21 and accordingly cause' the springs 14 to engage all of t e clutches 10 with' all of the selectors 7. The auditing of the accounts can then be accomplished, all as fully described in application Ser. No. 352,601 referred to.

In order to restore thefparts to normal position, `restoring mechanism is provided as fullyy described in said a plication Serial Number 229,996, and Eritish Patent, 153,344, and this restoring mechanism is of i@ the motor mechanism type, that is, an electric motor is provided which operates Qthrcu h suitable mechanism` upon depression of a c caring bar to clear the machine. The particular motor mechanism is fully described in an application led of even date herewith' and bearing Serial Number 422,660, now Patent No. 1,612,221, Dec. 28, 1926. u It comprises in general a main motor shaft 28 havin a controlling element 29 cooperating wit a stop 30 connected with a line of connections to a depressible bar 31 mounted immediately adjacent the keyboard.

. The shaft 28 is connected with a shaft 32 `Lemons which is connected by various mechanisms to the arts to be restored as fully described in application Serial Number 352,601. Accordingly when it is desired to clear the machine, the bar 31 is simply depressed which will clutch the motor through the stop mechanism with the clearing mechanisms of the machine in order to restore all parts to normal position.

During the auditing operation all ot the clutch members 10 are released to cause them to engage theiselectors and when the machine is to be cleared, all of the clutches and the connected mechanisms must be restored. This would throw an undue strain upon the motor mechanism since the spring 14, of necessity, is of considerable strength and as there are at least ten of these springs, their combined tension will be comparativel eat and would require a motor of hig orse power if all of the clutches were restored concurrently. In accordance with this invention, therefore, means is provided whereby the controlling or clutch elements are restored and tensioned in succession so as to restore the selector mechanisms not concurrentl but in succession.

The slliaft 32 has mountedl thereon a sector 33 provided with gear teeth 34 meshing with a pinion 35 connected by a hub with an arm 36, all of which are loosely mounted on a shaft 37 in the frame. The arm 36 has mounted thereon a pair of pawls 38 held by springs 39 in engagement with a ratchet 40 fixed to the shaft 37. The ratchet 40 has a pin 41 thereon arranged to be engaged b a stop pawl 42 mounted on the frame 3. he construction is such that when the sector is moved in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, the arm 36 and its pawls thereon are rotated in the direction of the arrows, Figure 3, so' as to carry the ratchet and therefore the shaft 37 therewith, while when the direction of movement of the sector isereversed, the awls will move idly over-the ratchet whic at this time, is retained by the stop 42. The length of the toothed portion of the sector is such that during the complete movement in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, the shaft 37 will be given a complete revolution; accordingly upon a complete oscillation of the sector, the shaft 37 will be given a complete revolution in one direction.

The shaft 37 has fixed thereto a series of ten cams 43, one for each bell-crank lever 20, and each of which cams is ada ted to engage with a cam roll 44 on said be l'crank lever.

v4These cams are arranged spirally around the Sha-ft as shown in Figure 1, so that upon a complete revolution o? the shaft 37, the bellcrank levers will be operated in succession.

Upon individualselection of any desired car, the corresponding latch 21 is released to free the corresponding bell-crank lever 20, thereby permitting the corresponding spring 14 to move the corresponding clutch 10 and connect the corresponding pair of normal selectors 7 with the actuator 9; moreover the secondary and tertiary positioning means will be thereupon actuated, as fully described in the above-mentioned atent. When the machine is to be cleared, t e bar 31 will be depressed and the motor will then operate through the appropriate mechanism to restore all parts back to normal positions, the corresponding cam 43 returning the correspondingr bell-crank lever 2O so as to be latched hy its corresponding latch 21, thereby restoringthe corresponding clutch and retaining it under the tension of its corresponding spring 14.

'When auditing, all of the latches 21 will be released thereby causing all of the clutches to be engaged. lVhen the machine is to be cleared, the bar 31 is depressed as before, in this case, however, the cams 43 will act in succession so as by their successive engagement With the corresponding cam rolls 44 on the bell-crank levers 2O to succesrestore the clutches against the tension of t cause the latches 2l to latch the parts in restoring positions. In view of the fact that the clutches are restored successively so that the clutch springs will be tensioned successively, the power is not thrown on the motor suddenly hut gradually and the torque required will he that only to tension a single spring as distinguished from the sum of those tensions. Accordingly the motorl reqillired can be of minimum size. It will,

rt erefore he seen that in accordance with this invention a plurality of the controlling elements for the selecting means are concurrently set or released, in the sense that a plurality of these elements are concurrently in a set or released position and that the restoring means is adapted and arranged to restore the plurality of set or released elements in succession.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention; it is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to he limited to the specific details shown and described. 1

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

l. In an account finding machine, selecting means, a series of controlling elements therefor, actuating means for concurrently setting a plurality ot' said elements for cooperation with said selecting means. and means adapted to restore the set elements in succersion.

2. In an account finding machine, selecting means, a series of controlling elements therefor, actuating means for concurrently setting a plurality of said elements for Coeir springs Iind so as to successively` elements therefor, means for concurrentlyl and releasing a plurality of said elements d elemeans adapted' to restore the release ments in succession. i

4. In an account finding machine, selecting means, a series of tensioned controlling elements therefor, means for concurrently releasing a plurality of said elements, and means adapted to restore and tension the released elements in succession.

5. In an account finding machine, a series of selectors, actuating means therefor, elements for connecting said relectors with said actuating means, means for concurrently setting a plurality of said elements for coopera tion with said selectors, and means adapted to restore the set elements in succession.

6. In an account finding machine, a series of selectors, actuating means therefor, elements for connecting said selectors with said actuating means, means for concurrently setting a plurality of said elements for cooperation with sa'id Selectors, and motor mechanism adapted to restore the set ele ments in succession.

7. In an account finding machine, a series ot' selectors, actuating means therefor, tensioned elements for connecting said selectors with said actuating means, means for concurrently releasing a lurality of said elements in order to e ect such connections, and means adapted to restore and tension the released elements in succession.

8. In an account finding machine, a series of selecting means, a series of tensioned eontrolling elements therefor, means for retaining said elements, means for concurrently releasing a plurality of said retaining means, and means for restoring and tensioning the released elements in succession.

9. In an account finding machine, selecting means, a series of tensioned controlling elements therefor, means for retaining said elements, means for concurrently releasin a plurality of said retaining means, an means adapted to successively tension and restore the released' elements to *be retained by said retaining means.

10.- An account finding machine having selecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and means for concurrently setting a plurality of said mechanisms for cooperation with said selecting means, characterized by means adapt-ed to restore the set mechanisms in succession.

1l. An account finding machine, having selecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and means for concurrently setting a plurality of said mechanisms for cooperalos' tion with said selecting means, characterized by motor mechanism adapted to restore the set selector mechanisms in succession.

12. An account finding machine haring a series of tensioned selector mechanisms and means for concurrentl f releasingr a pluralityY of said mechanisms, c aracterizcd by means` adapted to restore and tension the released mechanisms in succession.

13. An account finding machine havingf a series of tcnsioned Selector mechanisms and means for concurrently releasing a plurality of said mechanitns. characterized by motor mechanism adapted to restore and tension the released selector mechanisms in succession.

i4. An account tinding machine havingr sclecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and actuatingr means` adapted at will to concurrently set one or a series of said mechanisms for cooperation with said seicctingi means, characterized hy means 'for restoring the set mechanisms, adapted to rcstnre a series of said mechanisms in .succession.

15. An account iinding machine having selecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and actuatingr means for concurrentlyv .settingv a` plurality of'said merli-ansias for igi'ic'ipeiation with ,said selecting means in order to audit the accounts, characterized luf means adapted to restore the set` mechanisms in succession.

'16. An account finding machine havnt;r a series of selector mechanisms and means adapted at will to set one of said mechanismsk in order to find an individual account, or tu concurrently L4ct a series ot said mechanisuf` in order to audit the accounts, characterized by means for restoring said mechanisms, adapted to restortI a series of the set mechanisms in succession.

17. An account finding machine harinar a series of individual selector: audit @lectora and actuating means for ,oncurrcutli .st-tti u;

a plurality oi.' said selectors into unnraiiw position, characterized hy means tnr redir:- ing said selectors, adapted to i-wtnrc tlw i individual *electors in succession.

1S. An account tinding machine haring :i series ot' individual selectors, audit .arterial Y, and actuatingr means for ernuurrentiir seit ing a plurality of said selectors` into inni-ati position, characterized hy motor merli-annui for restoringr said L4electors. adapted tu rrstore the Set individual selectors in succession.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa-- tures this 22nd day of Sept.. 1920.

EINVIN L. KELLER, VICTOR l. A. STRUU.

CERTIFICATE 0F CURRECTION.

Patent No. l, 679, 008.

Granted July 3l, 1928, to

EDWIN L. KELLER ET AL.

It is hereby1 certified that error appears in the printed specification o! the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 60, after the period insert the sentence "The British patent 153,344 shows detaits of g motor device analogous to that of Serial No. 422,660 attached to a variation o! the present machine.";

page 4, line 29, claim 15, for the misspelled word i "mechansms" rend "mechlnsms"; and that the said Letters Patent should be rnd with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the use in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of August, A. D. 1928.

(Seul) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

tion with said selecting means, characterized by motor mechanism adapted to restore the set selector mechanisms in succession.

12. An account finding machine haring a series of tensioned selector mechanisms and means for concurrentl f releasingr a pluralityY of said mechanisms, c aracterizcd by means` adapted to restore and tension the released mechanisms in succession.

13. An account finding machine havingf a series of tcnsioned Selector mechanisms and means for concurrently releasing a plurality of said mechanitns. characterized by motor mechanism adapted to restore and tension the released selector mechanisms in succession.

i4. An account tinding machine havingr sclecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and actuatingr means` adapted at will to concurrently set one or a series of said mechanisms for cooperation with said seicctingi means, characterized hy means 'for restoring the set mechanisms, adapted to rcstnre a series of said mechanisms in .succession.

15. An account iinding machine having selecting means and a series of selector mechanisms and actuatingr means for concurrentlyv .settingv a` plurality of'said merli-ansias for igi'ic'ipeiation with ,said selecting means in order to audit the accounts, characterized luf means adapted to restore the set` mechanisms in succession.

'16. An account finding machine havnt;r a series of selector mechanisms and means adapted at will to set one of said mechanismsk in order to find an individual account, or tu concurrently L4ct a series ot said mechanisuf` in order to audit the accounts, characterized by means for restoring said mechanisms, adapted to restortI a series of the set mechanisms in succession.

17. An account finding machine harinar a series of individual selector: audit @lectora and actuating means for ,oncurrcutli .st-tti u;

a plurality oi.' said selectors into unnraiiw position, characterized hy means tnr redir:- ing said selectors, adapted to i-wtnrc tlw i individual *electors in succession.

1S. An account tinding machine haring :i series ot' individual selectors, audit .arterial Y, and actuatingr means for ernuurrentiir seit ing a plurality of said selectors` into inni-ati position, characterized hy motor merli-annui for restoringr said L4electors. adapted tu rrstore the Set individual selectors in succession.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa-- tures this 22nd day of Sept.. 1920.

EINVIN L. KELLER, VICTOR l. A. STRUU.

CERTIFICATE 0F CURRECTION.

Patent No. l, 679, 008.

Granted July 3l, 1928, to

EDWIN L. KELLER ET AL.

It is hereby1 certified that error appears in the printed specification o! the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 60, after the period insert the sentence "The British patent 153,344 shows detaits of g motor device analogous to that of Serial No. 422,660 attached to a variation o! the present machine.";

page 4, line 29, claim 15, for the misspelled word i "mechansms" rend "mechlnsms"; and that the said Letters Patent should be rnd with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the use in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of August, A. D. 1928.

(Seul) M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

